Automatic sand-valve device.



W. V. TURNER. AUTOMATIC SAND VALVE DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MAR.18, 1913.

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. 'A Y 1 Y WITNESSES INVENTOH UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

WALTER V. TURNER, OF EDGEWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTING- HOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC SAND-VALVE DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

Application jled March 18, 1913. Serial No. 755,067.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known lthat I, VALTER V. TURNER, a' citizen of the United States, residing at Edgewood, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Sand-Valve Devices, of which the following l duction in train pipe pressure and another sanding position to which the parts move upon a sudden emergency reduction in train pipe pressure. The operating piston of the sanding valve device is subject to the opposing pressures of the train pipe and the sanding reservoir and when the piston is in serv ice sanding position there is some possibility of iuid leaking around the piston from the sanding reservoir to the train pipe. If this happens, the brakes might be released during a brake application by the increase in train pipe pressure thus produced, particularly if the service sanding is cut out, so`

that no Huid is supplied from the sanding reservoir for sanding purposes. According to my invention, in order to prevent leakage from the sanding reservoir to the train pipe in the service sanding position, I provide means for sealing communication from the sanding reservoir to the train pipe. y

In the accompanying drawing; Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a car air brake equipment with my improvement applied thereto: Fig. 2 a central sectional view of a sand valve device embodying my invention, and showing the parts in normal position; Fig. 3 a similar view, showing the parts in the position assumed npon making a service application of the brakes; and Fig. 4 a similar view, showing the parts in the position assumed when an emergency application of the brakes is made'.

The air brake equipment shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing is of the ordinary type comprising a brake cylinder 1, auxiliary reservoir 2, and triple valve device 3 connected to the train pipe 4, and according to my invention a sand valve device 5 is provided which is connected by pipe 6 to the train pipe 4.'

The sand valve device 5 may comprise a4 casing having a piston chamber 7 connected by passage 8 with pipe 6 leading to the train pipe and containing piston 9, and having a valve chamber 10 connected by pipe 11 to a sand reservoir 12 and containing a. slide valve 13 adapted to be operated by the piston 9.

Leading to the seatof slide valve 13 is a passage 1-1 connected to pipe 15 which communicates with a sand boX, indicated,v

diagrammatically in Fig. 1 by the reference numeral 16, and adapted to supply sand to the rails in service applications of the brakes. Another passage 17 leads to the seat of the slide valve 13 and communicates with pipe 18, also connected to the sand box 16 and adapted to supply sand to the rails in an emergency application of the brakes.

The piston 9 and slide valve 13 have two operating positions, a service sanding position to'which the parts move upon a gradual reduction in train pipe pressure and an emergency sanding position to which the parts move upon a sudden reductionin train pipe pressure or a reduction below a predep termined degree, and in order to limit the movement of the parts upon a gradual reduction in train pipe pressure a yielding stop device is provided for the piston 9. This stop device preferably comprises a sleeve member 2O having a seat ring 21 upon which an annular rib 22 of the piston 9 is adapted to seat. Said sleeve fits snugly within a bore in a section 23 secured intermediate the casing proper and the cap 24.

The outer end of the sleeve 20 is providedY with an annular flange portion 25 adapted -to seat on the gasket 26 between the section 23 and cap 24 and thereby form a seal for preventing flow of air from the piston cham-- ber 7 around the sleeve 20 to the train pipe. A spring 27 tends to maintain the-sleeve 20 in position with the flange 25 seated, by

its action on a stem 28 which bears against the sleeve.

In operation, when fluid is supplied to .I

the train pipe, the sanding reservoir is charged with Huid under pressure through passage 8, port 29, passage 30, piston chamber 7, and feed groove 31 around piston 9, the piston 9 and slide valve 13 having moved to the position shown in Fig. 2. In this position the passages .17 and 14 are closed by the slide valve 13.

If a gradual reduction in train pipe pressure is made to effect a service application of the brakes, `the pressure is also reduced in piston chamber 7 and the piston 9 thereupon'moves to service position, as shown in Fig. 3, in ywhich the piston .seats on the seating ring 21 of the sleeve 20. In this position, a port 32 in the slide valve 13 registers with passage 14, so that fluid under pressure from the sanding reservoir 12 is supplied to the sand box 16, causing sand to be delivered to the rails, the tension of the spring 27 being suiicient to prevent further outward movement of the piston under gradual `reductions in train pipe pressure,

unless the train pipe pressure is' reduced to a predetermined low degree, for example, the spring 27 may be designed to hold the piston in the service sanding position until the train pipe pressureis reduced to forty pounds,'vvhen a further reduction will cause the movement of the parts to emergency position.

It Will be understood that the sanding valve. device operates in a manner similar to a triple valve in that a reduction in uid pressure on the reservoir side by ioW to the said box causes the vpiston to move the valve 13 and lap the port 32, if such reduction should equal or slightly exceed the reduction in train pipe pressure.

If a sudden reduction in train pipe pressure is made, the piston 9 is shifted to the emergency sanding position, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, compressing the spring 27. In this position, the port 19 in the slide valve 13 registers with passage 17 and iiuid from the sanding reservoir is thereupon supplied to the sand box 16 to effect the sanding of the rails.

When sanding in service is not desired, the service sanding passage 14'is plugged up, so that When the sand valve parts move to the service sanding position, no Huid is supplied to the sand box. In this case, it will be noted' that the piston 9 is sealed against the seat 21 of the sleeve 20 when the piston is in the service sanding position and the flange 25 is also seated on the gasket 26.-

A double seal is thus provided, which eifectually prevents leakage of fluid under pressure from the sanding reservoir to the train pipe, so that there is no possibility of the brakes releasing While applied.

Emergency sanding may also be cut out by plugging the passage 17, but this is not usually desired.

Having-now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: l

1. The combination with a fluid pressure brake, of a sanding valve device automatically movable to one position for effecting the sanding of the rails upon a service application of the brakes and to another position for effecting the sanding of the rails upon an emergency application of the brakes.

2. The combination with a iuid pressure brake having a train pipe andmeans operated by a gradual reduction in train pipe pressure for effecting a service application of the brakes and by a sudden reduction in train pipe pressure for edecting an emergency application of the brakes, of a sanding valve movable to one sanding position upon a gradual reduction in train pipe pressure and to another sanding position upon a sudden reduction in train pipe pressure.

3. The combination With a fluid pressure brake having a train pipe, of a sanding valve device comprising valve means having tWo positions for eiiectingthe sanding of the rails, a piston operated upon a gradual reduction in train pipe pressure for moving said valve means to one sanding position and upon a sudden reduction in train pipe pressure for moving said valve means to the other sanding position and means for closing communication from said piston to the train pipe in the first mentioned sanding position.

4. The combination with a fluid pressure brake having a train pipe, ofa sanding valve device comprising valve means having two positions for effecting the sanding of the rails, a piston operated upon a gradual reduction in train pipe pressure for moving said valve means to one sanding position and upon a sudden reduction in train pipe pressure for moving said valve means to the other sanding position, a yielding stop device for opposing the movement of said piston from the first mentioned sanding position and means for preventing How of fluid from the piston to the train pipe in said position.

5. The combination with a Huid pressure brake having a train pipe and means operated upon a gradual reduction in train pipe pressure for effecting a service application of the brakes and upon a sudden reduction in train pipe pressure for effecting an emergency application of the brakes, of valve means having a service sanding position and an emergency sanding position, a piston subject to the opposing pressures of the train pipe and a reservoir and operated upon a gradual reduction in train pipe pressure for moving said valve means to the service sanding position and upon a sudden reduction in train pipe pressure' for moving for sealing communication from said pistonv 'to' the train pipe in the service sanding position to prevent flow of fluid from the reservoir to the train pipe.

6. A sanding valve device comprising a valve for controlling the sanding and a piston subject to opposing Huid pressures and adapted to shift saidlvalve to one sanding position upon a partial traverse and to anlother sanding position upon a further traverse and a yielding member for defining the irst mentioned position of the piston and provided with a seat for said piston to prevent leakage of Huid from said piston.

7. A sanding valve device comprising a valve for controlling the sanding and a piston subject to opposing fluid pressures and adapted to shift said valve to one sanding position upon a partial traverse and to another sanding position upon a vfurther traverse and a yielding member for defining the first mentioned position of the piston and provided With a seat for 'said piston to prevent leakage of l'luid from and around said piston and also provided with a seat to prevent leakage from said piston pastl said yielding member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WALTER V. TURNER. Witnesses:

A. M. (ELEMENTS, S. W. KEEFER. 

